Dignity

Here is a video link to watch and listen to a story about Dignity that is part of the Roots in the ruins: hope in trauma program.

https://vimeo.com/168269473

Beyond our square meter

The one who never leaves home, thinks mother is the only cook.  African Proverb

Hammock of Hands

By Elena Huegel

Jan. 16, 2015

We weave a net with all our hands

To catch hope and let fear escape.

A handy net

                To cradle the world.

Bring your hands:

                Your working hands

                With cracked nails.

                Your folded hands

                Praying at the rail.

                Your grubby hands,

                With sand, shovel and pail.

                Your manicured hands

                With sculpted nails.

Together we weave a hammock of hands

To gently rock the world.

Laughter and babbling brook…

Gather in the net!

Hunger, hate and horror…

Shake, shake, shake them out!

Humming birds and wild flowers…

Gather in the net!

Word-blows and worries…

Shake, shake, shake them out!

Child-play and simple joy…

Gather in the net!

Snake fang and heart pain…

Shake, shake, shake them out!

Bear hugs and skipping rope…

Gather in the net!

Gloating, gossip and ignorance…

Shake, shake, shake them out!

Cradle the world in a

Hammock of interwoven hands.

Good-bye to Chile!

A Pueblo prayer:

Hold onto what is good,
Even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold onto what you believe,
Even if it is a tree that stands by itself.
Hold onto what you must do,
Even if it is a long way from here.
Hold onto life,
Even if it is easier to let go.
Hold onto my hand,
Even when I have gone away from you.

            There is a rock outcropping at the Shalom Center overlooking the waterfall , the tops of the coigue trees, and the Lircay River far below.  This is the end of the Shalom Trail and one particular rock juts out in a way to make a seat for me.  I have sat on this same rock for over fifteen years.

            Feelings flit in and out of my soul like the mountain breeze and clicks of the humming birds.  One nearly flew into my nose a moment ago; I had to close my eyes and blow hard to shoo her away!  The lizards, some turquoise blue fading into emerald green, others brown and yellow striped, share the rock with me.  They are so used to me that they don´t mind when  we enjoy the same sunlight and shadows.

            In the midst of good-bye parties, parting rituals, and tears, the forest is also bidding me farewell.  Today the fox trotted down the road in front of the Welcome House while I ate my breakfast, stopping several times to take me in before wandering across the circle of logs and into the berry bushes.  Yesterday I spotted the orange and black tadpoles of the "Venusto Toad," beautiful and endangered.  As the forest and I say farewell, so I also say goodbye to twenty years of life and ministry in Chile. 

In Spanish we say "adios" to say good-bye.  It literally means "unto God."

Unto God..to the pastors and pastoras who have encouraged me and opened their churches for the different activities I have led over the years.

Unto God...to  the participants and staff of the Shalom Center who have heard the call to build the Shalom Kingdom with truth, justice, mercy, dignity and peace.

Unto God...to the people of Chile, neighbors, bus drivers, post office workers, cashiers, and shop owners who have greeted me with a smile and a wave.

Unto God...to the children of Chile who share with me their play, laughter and learning. 

Unto God...to the mountain ecosystem which has intertwined its essence in my being.

Unto God... to each of you.  I carry you in my heart as precious treasures to cherish and share with others in faraway places.

            I ask for your prayers as I discern the next steps in my life.  During the next six months I will be visiting churches in the United States and preparing for a new assignment.  Please pray that God might prepare the path before my feet.

            A missionary's job is to work herself out of a job.  That means that farewells are an inherent and anticipated part of the ministry. These good-byes are particularly painful when balanced with the other half of a missionary´s job: integration and complete participation in the host culture with a commitment to deep, transformative relationships.

            I have worked hard to form  the good-byes from Chile into experiences of  learning and growing for those around me as well as myself.   As C.S. Lewis say in the movie "Shadowlands" "The pain now is part of the happiness then.  That's the deal."  So also these farewells open doorways to fresh hopes, dreams and possibilities.  Fare thee well, my friends!  

            I remind you that the the Roots in the Ruins: Hope in Trauma activities and other news will be posted on the new "Fanpage" on "Facebook".  It is called "Retoños en las ruinas: esperanza en el trauma."  You can also follow me, in English,  on my blog "From the ends of the earth."  http://colibrienchile.blogspot.cl/

            Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my ministry, always!

Shalom,

Elena

Telmatobufo venustus

¡Look what I found this week at the Shalom Center!

Very little is known about the Chile Mountains false toad – only a few individuals have ever been seen, and it avoided detection for 100 years following its formal discovery in 1899. It is thought to breed in streams that run through temperate beech forests, where the eggs hatch into tadpoles that develop by feeding on algae growing on rocks. The main threats to this species in the wild are forest fires, pine and eucalyptus plantations, and its limited distribution.
The Chile Mountains false toad is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because its area of occupancy is less than 500 km sq., its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat on the western slopes of the Chilean Andes.

The false toads are a tiny and little-known genus, all members of which are endangered (Telmatobufo bullocki is Critically Endangered, Telmatobufo venustusisis Endangered, and Telmatobufo australis is Vulnerable). Their closest relative, the Vulnerable helmeted water toad, is a giant among amphibians, with females reaching lengths of over 300 mm. It feeds predominantly on other frogs and toads, although it is also capable of consuming small birds and mammals. Its huge tadpoles can grow to lengths of 15 cm and take about two years to metamorphose. The Calyptocephalellidae family is therefore a highly evolutionarily distinct, unusual and endangered group of amphibians.

Description

Chile Mountains false toad is a moderate sized frog, growing to lengths of around 70 mm. The body is robust with long, slender limbs. The nostrils are on the sides of the snout and protrude. The eyes are large and protruding. There is no visible ear drum. The paratoid glands behind the eyes either side of the head appear as very prominent, large raised bumps that are oval in shape. The feet are webbed, whereas the digits of the had are free of webbing. The skin of the back has numerous prominent oval and round glands, whilst the skin of the stomach is smooth. This species has a beautiful colouration, with a coal-black background, an orange striped pattern across the back, and yellow spots along the sides. The ventral (or lower) surface is also a bright coal-black. Orange and reddish spots and markings appear across the head.

Ecology

The Chile Mountains false toad is a very poorly known species. After its formal discovery in 1899, it was not seen again for 100 years! Its reproductive behaviour has not been observed, although it probably breeds in streams where its eggs hatch into tadpoles that develop by scraping algae from rock, as is the case for its close relative (also a top 100 EDGE Amphibian) Bullock’s false toad. It probably has a similar diet to this species also, feeding on ground-dwelling invertebrates. This species requires further study to elucidate its life history and behaviours.

Habitat

It occurs under rocks along streams in temperate Nothofagus (southern beech) forest, and its tolerance to disturbance is unknown.

Christmas milking

Early Christmas morning in Chile... time to milk the cows and, later, make Christmas cookies!

Mother Teresa

  People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

  If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

  If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.

  If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

 What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

  If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

 The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

 Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

 In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

-this version is credited to Mother Teresa